Revaluing Refugees
Ask any business owner what they value in an employee, and the chances are at the top of their wish list will be reliable, hard-working and experienced. The 2017 CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey confirmed this, finding that employers were more likely to rate attitude and aptitude for work as the most important factors in enabling staff to be effective in the workplace.
Unless a job role needs a specific qualification, evidence of experience and a recommendation can often hold more weight for an employer than a certificate in a dusty old frame from ten years ago.
Every day we work with refugees facing multiple challenges to find work in the UK, not least of which can be proving the value of an equivalent qualification awarded in another country.
In 2018 we will bring to the labour market over 1000 individuals who have been pre-screened, assessed for key competencies and upskilled for the local labour market.
We do this by focusing on competencies, rather than qualifications. REVaLUE enhances our reputation as an authority in this field of work.
Funded by the EU until 2019, the REVaLUE project is collaborative project with partners from different countries including France, Italy, Hungary and Germany, representing organisations across Europe that work with migrants and refugees. It builds on the Migrapass assessment tools, creating a common curriculum to support refugees into integration through training, employment preparation, and career guidance.
We’re already helping our tenants to move on and integrate into their new lives through entry into education and jobs.
Ahmed was forced to leave Sudan due to civil war. He had previously studied mechanical engineering at University in Sudan but never had the opportunity to use his qualifications to gain employment as he had to leave the country urgently. After assessment, followed by our tailored support and advice he was able to apply to University. Ahmed is now studying Mechanical Engineering at Coventry University. He is looking forward to a prosperous future in the engineering industry in the UK.
We’re excited about this project because it’s a great opportunity to interview refugees and develop innovative ways for them secure education and employment in the UK.
To find out more about our work with businesses see https://www.ach.org.uk/businesses
